Day 2

That word rings in my ears at night ... in the morning ... while I do dishes, jump in the shower, plan lessons, run errands, cook meals ... It has permeated every moment of my days.

Now, there have been times when that would have been a bad thing. Obsession would have been the characteristic rather than just excitement.

I am finding that my journey toward forgiveness has driven me to:


more compassion
less pride
more passion
less apathy
more empathy
less sympathy
more praying
less advising

more God

less me

You see, as I try to develop in my mind what exactly constitutes forgiveness I've come up with a few thoughts.

We all have a history ... it might read something like a health history from a basic medical chart ... an alphabetized list of maladies ...

abandoned
abortion
abused
abducted
apathetic
apoplectic
anger issues
anxiety
antagonistic
adultery
bi-polar
bewildered
child of an alcoholic
divorced
devalued
depression
difficulty relating
eating disorder
fatigue
hallucinations
infatuation
Jesus complex
kleptomania

The list can go on and on and on ...

and any one of these things- small or large issues can constitute a need for forgiveness. Sometimes of someone … sometimes of yourself.

When forgiveness takes over a circumstance a miracle happens … when you history intersects with HIS-tory of Mercy and Grace ...

and becomes your testimony.

As intricate
and individual as my fingerprint ...

my testimony tells of where I've been
what He's delivered me from
and consequently what He's making me into for His Glory.

John 10:10 tells us that the enemy is out to rob, kill and destroy ... and it is his chief purpose in this world. As believers, Satan can not take us from God. We are children of the Most High - eternally secure. But if the enemy can convince us that what we've done, been, seen, had perpetrated upon us by others is so shameful that it would do more harm than good if anyone ever knew- well, then he traps us; renders us useless in our silence and shame.

But there is power in words. The power to bind the enemy. The power to release blessing on the lives around us. The power to lift up. The power to praise.

The power to bring honor where shame has taken up residency. Someone had to speak life into Mary to encourage her as she carried the Messiah. Her mother? Her father? Joseph? Elizabeth?

Who has He placed in your path today that needs reminding that the Messiah has come? Who will you speak life into?